


Jealousy

by SaberSwan



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Fluff, Jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 06:48:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13071372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaberSwan/pseuds/SaberSwan
Summary: Julian goes to the Raven for a night of drinking, trying to stick to his decision to leave Joss. He finds it incredibly difficult, however, when they're playing their fiddle on top of a table in the middle of the bar when he walks in, looking so damn beautiful.Some cute fluff based on the prompt 'Jealousy' from Joz-Stankovitch, as part of an exchange with them! <3





	Jealousy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [joz_rose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/joz_rose/gifts).



> Also, apologies for the totally shit title, I'm real bad at them haha '-.-

It was a warm night in the Rowdy Raven, and the bar was full of people looking to cool off from a long day with various spirits. Joss had come to the Raven for the same reason as most of the people there, and had been drinking for a few hours already. They’d been convinced to bring out their fiddle a few times, the other patrons shouting out occasional song requests. Joss was in the middle of a rowdy song dancing with their fiddle on a low table in the middle of the bar when Julian walked in. Joss was absorbed in their song and dance, leaping to another table with their fiddle in hand. They leaned down toward a man with a wide grin on their face, their bow moving aggressively across the strings as he cheered them on. Julian had frozen in place in the doorway, his spine stiffening uncomfortably as he debated turning back around to leave. He’d not exactly left their last meeting on the best terms with Joss, and despite desperately wanting to see them, he did not want to have to turn them away again. After a few moments, they were still very absorbed with their song, and he decided to slip into the back corner of the bar to a darkened booth in an effort to stay somewhat hidden.

He slipped through the crowd with murmurs to the more regular patrons that knew him, waving an arm at the bartender who knew full-well what Julian’s order was. He settled into the dark booth with a slouch, kicking his feet up onto the seat between him and the rest of the bar. The bartender – a muscular mountain of a man – walked over with his glass of bitters soon enough, and Julian drank gratefully. Joss’ song came to an end just then, and he felt himself shrink farther back into the booth as they stepped off their table into the crowd. They bowed slightly at the waist at the raucous applause from the patrons and flitted off toward the bar, laying their fiddle carefully on the bar next to where they leaned. The bartender sent a wide smile at Joss and they grinned widely back, laughing at something he said with their head thrown back. Their chestnut and white-blonde hair shimmered in the low light of the bar, and Julian’s heart thudded at the sight. He clutched his drink tighter and took a long swig, his lips coming together in a thin line as he watched them laugh together over another thing one of them said. The bartender’s muscled arm came to rest on the bar in front of them as he handed Joss another drink, and Joss took it with a grin, leaning against the bar once more to take a swig. A light crinkle sounded from his fist as Julian’s knuckles went white around the glass in his hand, and he nearly dropped it outright when he realized how tight his grip had been.

 _Get it together Julian, you pushed Joss away._ He mentally berated himself from the dark of his booth, despite the dark feeling that was coiling in his chest as he watched the pair laugh together. _Joss deserves to be happy, especially if that means she’s safe._ But he couldn’t help himself when Joss was called off by a young woman with lavender hair, his spine stiffening uncomfortably when she threw her arm around Joss with a smile and laid her head on their shoulder with familiarity. He downed the rest of his drink in one gulp and waved the bartender over with a small amount of anger. He may have been a bit rude to him, but Julian wasn’t thinking straight. As it turned out, his instinct to turn around and leave when he’d seen Joss on that table may have been a good idea after all. He apparently couldn’t handle being in their presence and watching them interact with others when he and they weren’t together. Not that they’d really had much opportunity to _be_ ‘together’ before he’d pushed them away, but it didn’t make him care any less.

After several more drinks with increasingly more white-knuckled grips on each, Julian decided he couldn’t take it anymore. Joss had intermittently gotten back up to perform crowd-requested songs, and he’d been staring at them the entire time, mesmerized by their dancing and fantastic musical skills. They were just finishing a drink before getting up to play another tune, and he knew he’d break this glass if he didn’t finish his drink and leave now. Joss was just getting up onto their signature table when he rose from his booth in the corner and began maneuvering his way out of the bar. They were mid jog to another table when he attempted to sneak past them, a flush rising to his cheeks as he realized he was slowing his pace to watch them perform. He slowed down apparently too much, because they completed their jog and spun, their green and brown eyes immediately finding his. Their glasses shined as Joss turned their head to follow him, and he quickly averted his eyes and swiftly walked toward the exit. He didn’t notice the way their steps faltered slightly as the door shut behind him, or how Joss remained facing the door for several moments after it had closed, stock still. He was nearly out of the alleyway behind the Raven when the door slammed open behind him, warm light spilling out onto dirty cobblestone.

“Julian, wait!” Joss’ voice rang out against the stone, and despite his own efforts, he found himself unable to continue forward. His black boots betrayed him and stayed rooted to the ground below him, his spine stiffening as he heard Joss’ footsteps behind him. “Julian, please – don’t run away from me.”

He refused to turn toward them stubbornly, his hands wringing together uncomfortably as he found himself still unable to move away. Joss’ hand landed on his shoulder and suddenly he was facing them, their green and brown eyes looking up at him with a fierce glint in them.

“Joss – I…” He shook his head, red hair falling over his eye, “Go back to the Raven. Your _friends_ will miss you if you’re gone too long.” The words came out more bitter than he’d intended, and he realized with a start the dark spot of jealousy that was still knotted tightly around his heart. Joss eyebrows pulled together tightly and they huffed a strand of their hair out from in front of their gaze to level a playful glare up at him once more.

“Now, now Julian, don’t tell me you were _jealous_ of other people paying me attention?” A wry smile worked its’ way onto the apprentice’s lips, the joke sparkling in their eyes. Julian stiffened at the accusation, and a bright blush spread its’ way across his face, coating his nose and reaching out to match his hairline. A chuckle found its’ way from between Joss’ lips at his blush, deepening into a laugh as he somehow managed to become redder, a gloved hand coming to rest over his face to hide the color.

“Julian-“ Joss began, their tone warning him of the speech he was about to receive about his actions several nights prior. He cut them off with a hand behind their head and the soft press of his lips to theirs, trying to convey his feelings through the gesture. Joss’ fingers reached up his back, leaving sharp trails from their short fingernails as they trailed along the thin material of his shirt. A quiet groan fell from Julian’s lips as he pulled away, already shaking his head.

“Joss, I’m sorry, but I can’t- you deserve better, I’m going to put you in danger, I-“ He stammered through his pre-prepared list of excuses quickly, his gaze carefully avoiding theirs. He knew if he looked into their eyes again he’d be lost.

“Julian. Stop. I’m not leaving. You can try and push me away, but I’m just going to keep coming back, I _can’t_ let you do this alone – you don’t have to.” Joss laid their hands on his chest with their fingers splayed wide, the slight pressure emphasizing their statement.

“But… Joss-“ He was cut off this time as they pressed their lips to his, the kiss slightly rougher than they’d intended, Julian’s eyes snapping open in surprise. It was shorter than the last, but when Joss pulled away, he couldn’t help but look into their eyes, and he was finished. The green and brown sparkled under the starlight, and they were _so beautiful_. He couldn’t pull himself away from their face, and he realized he’d never wanted to in the first place.

“Joss… I- all right. I just, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you were hurt because you’re too close to me,” A gloved hand ran over the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the idea even in conversation. A brilliant smile spread across Joss’ face as they heard his words, their arms snaking around his back, chestnut-and-white hair tickling his neck as their head came to rest on his chest. Joss’ next words were muffled by his shirt and chest, but the knot that had seated itself there unraveled swiftly and was replaced by a softer, warmer feeling.

“I won’t let anything happen to you Julian, I couldn’t live with myself if I let you get hurt for me either.” His long arms wrapped around their back and he rested his forehead on top of their hair, pressing soft kisses into the soft locks. They lost track of how long they stood like that, Julian finally releasing Joss with a chuckle and pulling them hand in hand back toward the bar they’d both so hastily abandoned.


End file.
